This help centre article was written for childminders preparing for registration with the Koru Kids' Home Nursery service
Quick links
If a child arrives at your setting with an injury
If a child arrives at your setting with a visible injury, or they or their parents tell you about an injury that has happened at home, you should record this on an Injury On Arrival Form.
If the injury comes to light when the child is dropped off in the morning, you should ideally complete this form with the parent before they leave.
If the injury comes to light after the parents have departed in the morning, fill in the form, clearly mark the time you completed it, and ask the parents to sign it when they collect their child later on.
Recording injuries sustained at home is part of your safeguarding duties. It allows you to spot if injuries are happening too frequently, and decide whether it is something you should be concerned about. Frequent injuries at home may be an indication of a pattern of abuse. Your forms give you a papertrail of evidence if needed. You need to keep the records (digital or physical copies) for 25 years.
If a child sustains a minor injury whilst in your care
Firstly make sure you use your paediatric first aid knowledge from your training to treat the injury properly. Recap on the handouts from your first aid training often.
If the child sustains a head injury you need to contact the parents as soon as possible after you have administered first aid. Parents don’t need to pick the child up (unless you judge this necessary) but you do need to inform them of the accident at the time. Follow up by completing an accident form as soon after you’ve called them as possible.
Any other injury you need to record on an Accident Form as soon as possible after you have completed administering first aid and comforting the child.
The parent should be asked to sign the form when they collect their child.
You need to keep the accident for record for 25 years.
Serious injuries
If a child suffers a serious injury, use your first aid knowledge to judge whether you need to call an ambulance or take the child to A&E.
Inform the parents as soon as possible but not ahead of administering first aid and/or calling an ambulance.
If a child requires immediate hospital treatment for an injury, then afterwards a RIDDOR report is required to be made and this should be noted on the Accident Form.
Serious injuries are:
anything that requires resuscitation
admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours
a broken bone or fracture
dislocation of any major joint, such as the shoulder, knee, hip or elbow
any loss of consciousness
severe breathing difficulties, including asphyxia
anything leading to hypothermia or heat-induced illness
Serious injuries also need to be reported to Koru Kids, as soon as possible, but within 14 days of the incident.
Links